Sorry this took so long…had the family on spring break and a little vacation time, but I am back on schedule now. Next chapter after this is Valentine's Day…so I hope that makes up for the delay. Thanks again for reading…hope you enjoy.
Chapter 23- Perfect Stranger
The crack of the bat against the ball echoed around Jane as she followed through with her swing. Her hands stung from the impact that carried across the handle and up her arms as the last ball she hit went the farthest. She could see Maura, Ryan and Carly watching her with interest as she lazily swung the bat over her shoulder. With a swagger that was all her own, she sauntered over to where Maura was standing, peering at her through the chain link that separated them. With a cocky grin she opened the door to the cage and handed Maura the bat as she gave her a gentle bow.
"Let's see you beat that…" The smirk was directed at Maura as Jane handed her the bat.
"You do remember the last time you smirked at me like that…" Maura leaned close so only Jane could hear her.
Jane's face colored slightly at the memory. With shaky hands, she adjusted her baseball hat a little lower over her brow so Maura couldn't see how much the words had affected her.
"Not bad Jane…" Ryan tried to encourage. In her mind, nine out of ten was a pretty hard score to beat, especially for someone who had never swung a bat before.
"Yeah, thanks…" Jane tried not to smile too broadly as she watched Maura prepare herself. "Come on Maura…you've just gotta hit ten to beat me."
"There isn't much that doesn't look good on you Jane dear, but smug…you don't wear it well." Maura quipped over her shoulder as she stepped into the batter's box. Adjusting her weight from her left to her right leg, she crouched down and bounced a few times. With the bat being held high over her shoulder, she gave it a little wiggle to get the feel of its weight before swinging a few times to practice.
"She's right cousin…smug isn't a very flattering look for you." Carly joked as she watched an open mouthed Jane try to think of a response.
All Jane could do was look back and forth between her cousin and Maura as she tried to think of something witty to say but when noting came to her, she let out a frustrated sigh.
"I am so glad it's you and not me…" Ryan laughed at the irritated look on Jane's face.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jane huffed.
"Well…seeing as our girlfriends have decided to gang up on you…and not me this time…I think it only fair that we have each other's back. There is strength in numbers you know. It seems that Carly and Maura have a lot in common…and giving us grief is one of them." Ryan tried to reason. "I guess we've got watch out for each other or it will always be two against one."
"Yeah…I suppose so." Jane smiled sheepishly.
"You're not worried…are you?" Ryan tilted her head to look at Jane who had a confident look on her face as she watched Maura.
"Nah…" Jane shook her head as she prepared to watch Maura. She thought that nine out of ten was damn near impossible to beat.
With her fingers laced through the chain link batting cage, Jane leaned her forehead against the cool metal as she watched Maura take a few extra practice swings. She could feel Ryan fidgeting next to her as Maura prepared to hit yet another fast pitch. This would make ten for ten and the thought caused Jane to grip the chain link tighter.
"You've got this…huh…" Ryan smirked at Jane who was now scowling at her as if she had a bad taste in her mouth. "And she's never, ever, swung a bat before today…?"
"Yeah…that's what she says." Jane watched as Maura set herself up for the last ball, squaring her shoulders and planting her feet firmly on the ground.
"Could she possibly be bending the truth a little?" Ryan leaned against the batting cage next to Jane as she too watched Maura.
"Nah…she can't lie…" Jane dismissed the idea. "And to think she was sick last week, barely able to get out of bed." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, I'd say she has recovered quite remarkably." Ryan sighed as Maura hit the last ball. "She can really pull the ball when she wants to, can't she." The awe in her voice was evident as she turned to look at a somewhat flustered Jane.
"I don't know how she did it…I've never gone ten for ten." Jane nervously ran her hand across the back of her neck as she realized that she had just been beat by Maura. This lose meant she would have to take Maura to the ballet, something she was not at all excited about.
"Hey…you guys are looking a little nervous." Carly said as she slid alongside Ryan.
"Ya think…" Ryan bumped Carly's shoulder playfully.
The conversation that was taking place behind her didn't distract Maura in the least. She knew what she was doing and she was doing it very well. As she swung one last time, the bat connected with the ball with a loud smack as it sailed away from where she was standing. Maura could almost feel the tension radiating off of Jane. When she turned around, Jane had a proud expression on her face, but there was a hint of apprehension hidden behind the smile.
"How?" It was all Jane could say, her eyes wide with wonder.
"I thought you might ask…so, I will explain it to you. Do you want to come on in here with me Jane so I can demonstrate?" Maura grinned as she waved Jane in.
With a shocked look on her face, Jane nodded dumbly as she stepped into the batting cage to join Maura. She wasn't sure what Maura was going to do, but for some reason she had a slight fluttering in the pit of her stomach as she took a helmet that was being offered to her. With a crooked grin, she placed it on her head and took the bat from Maura.
"The first principle to remember is weight transfer…it is an essential element to great hitting mechanics." Maura said as she positioned Jane in the batter's box. "There must be a back to front movement if there is to be any kind of consistency or power in the swing." She said as she stepped up behind Jane, placing a hand on Jane's left thigh. "Here is where you need to start…" With gentle pressure, she pushed down to illustrate where Jane's weight should be.
"Um…yeah…I kinda already know how to transfer my weight Maura…" Jane swallowed hard as she tried to concentrate on what Maura was saying, but feeling Maura pressed against her from behind was making her light headed.
"The second principle…" Maura continued as she slid her left hand from Jane's thigh up to her hip while her right hand slipped around Jane's waist where she pressed her palm against Jane's stomach. "Is hips and core…a huge part of hitting is turning towards the ball with your hips leading the way." Maura pushed Jane's left hip out in a twisting motion. "The hips generate power in the swing based on the principle of torque." As she turned Jane's body towards where the ball would be, she pushed harder against the stomach her hand was resting on causing Jane to gasp. "It uses the core muscles to turn just like a golfer or a boxer. The best hitters use this technique because they learn to turn to the ball. Can you feel it here?" She gave Jane's tight stomach a light pat.
All Jane could do was nod in the affirmative as she glanced over her shoulder to scowl at Carly and Ryan who were laughing. Taking a deep breath, she tried to bring her attention back to Maura, but something off in the distance caught her eye. Squinting, she found herself focusing on Paddy Doyle who was watching her with an intense gaze. She blinked a few times at the unnerving way he was watching her. It wasn't until she felt Maura's warm breath against her ear that she brought her full attention back to Maura.
"The third principle is known as leveling." Maura whispered into Jane's ear. She could feel Jane shiver slightly as her breath tickled an exposed neck. This time Maura pushed down on Jane's shoulder, dropping it just a little. "Leveling gets the bat into the path of the ball. Can you feel as you dip your shoulder back, dropping the bat so it is level to the ball? When you swing, swing up and through the pitch."
Jane's brain was on the verge of short circuiting as Maura continued to press against her from behind. Luckily, to anyone watching, it would appear as if Maura was just giving Jane instructions. But Jane knew better, she could feel the heat from Maura's body almost burning her own. She stood almost motionless as Maura continued to illustrate what to do, freely running her hands over the dips and curves of Jane's body.
"The forth principle is ideal impact. Now this is the technique I find most interesting. It is said that the ultimate contact point is the ninety degree angle at which the barrel of the bat and ball meet." Maura reached over across the bat, placing a finger over the spot she thought was most likely to produce the most ideal impact. "You have to let the ball deep enough into the hitting zone as you allow your front elbow to move up and around your body."
Letting Maura move around her, Jane continued to allow Maura to use her as a model for instruction.
"And finally, the fifth principle is extension and the power 'V'." Looking over her shoulder, Maura could see Carly and Ryan trying not to laugh at Jane's predicament. With a cocky grin and wink, she turned back around to continue. "We can look at great swing mechanics in two simple elements; short and compact to the ball and long through the ball. It is most important to keep the bat within the plane of an incoming pitch because you have a better chance of hitting the ball. Keeping the wrists square when you make contact and pushing through to the "V" without rolling the wrists is imperative to a strong hit."
Whipping her head around so she could look at Maura, Jane gave her a confused look. She knew she had heard the words that came from Maura's mouth, but she wasn't sure she understood them.
Maura could see the confusion in Jane's eyes. "In other words…transfer your weight forward, let your shoulder dip slightly, pull with the hips, keep level with the ball, understand ideal impact, have a long finish, and always swing up through the ball." A feeling of power swept over her as she moved against Jane to reemphasize her instructions. She knew what she was doing and the effect it was having on Jane. "Try to understand the importance of keeping the bat in the hitting zone for as long as possible." Her hand's moved over Jane's, wrapping around the handle of the bat. "Always stay calm and under control at the plate." The whispered words had Jane all but shaking. "Hitting a baseball is a series of linked movements." Maura pressed her hips against the back of Jane's. "They all come together as one…and based on the principle of slow to fast." She rotated her hips in a slow, almost sensual grind. "Never rushed, never jerky… just nice and smooth as you step and turn…" Maura illustrated as she moved with Jane to swing and follow through. "See…easy…" Giving Jane a quick pat on the arm, Maura stepped away with a mischievous grin on her face.
"You know, you're evil…don't you…" Jane growled low so only Maura could hear her. She was rewarded with a smirk and nod of the head. "Just so you know…paybacks are a bitch Maura."
Ryan and Carly watched speechless by what they were seeing and hearing. Even though it wasn't outwardly erotic, it was obvious to anyone watching that Jane and Maura had some intense chemistry between them
"And you learned all of this from a book?" Carly asked her voice filled with wonder.
"Yep…" Maura stepped away from the batter's box and leaned on the bat as she watched Jane for her reaction.
"I guess the ballet won't be so bad…" Ryan mumbled under her breath. Carly was shaking with laughter at the comment as Jane just glowered at the idea of losing, especially to someone who had never swung a bad before.
"It ain't over…til it's over…" Jane said, taking the bat from a somewhat surprised Maura. "Move over Ted Williams…I'm gonna try again." She grumbled as she gave Maura a gentle shove towards the door. "Go on…" She tilted her head towards Carly and Ryan.
"Good luck…" Maura chanced a quick kiss to Jane's cheek, causing Jane to blush slightly. Slipping out the door, she took the same stance as Jane had earlier with her fingers loosely treaded through the chain link as she watched. "Just so you know…you still lost and have to take me to the ballet."
As Jane squared her shoulders and squatted down into her batting stance, a movement from across the park caught her attention. She could see Paddy standing outside a batting cage as a young boy of about seven practiced hitting. When their eyes met, Jane felt a chill run through her entire body. She wasn't sure why she was suddenly feeling silently judged, but she could definitely see that he held some interest in what he was seeing.
"You gonna hit or what?" Ryan called out startling Jane from her thoughts.
It was Carly who noticed where Jane was looking and who she was looking at. She watched the silent interaction going on between her cousin and the man she knew as the head of the Irish Mob. A man whose name sent chills up and down the spine of anyone who knew its significance.
Jane stood straight as the first pitch sailed past her in a whoosh. She gave Maura a weak smile over her shoulder as she tried to reset herself for the next pitch, but she knew she was off her game. The look that Paddy had given her rattled her to distraction as another ball sailed past her.
"Hey…what's wrong?" Maura quietly asked as she watched Jane stand up straight, letting out a huff of frustration in the process.
"I think I need a minute…" Jane shook her head as she stepped out of the batter's box. Looking over her shoulder at Maura, she could see a concerned expression looking back at her. "I'm okay…just need to gather my wits…I think maybe your little tutoring session distracted me." She smiled and winked even though she knew it wasn't Maura that had her distracted at the moment.
"Hey Maura, would you show me what you showed Jane?" Ryan asked hopefully.
Carly glanced at Ryan, a funny look on her face as she watched the excited gleam in Ryan's eyes.
"I'm not asking her to show me the same way she showed Jane, just the same technique. I could use some help…" Ryan nudged Carly drawing a smile from her girlfriend.
"Yeah…I suppose." Carly smiled.
Maura watched Carly and Ryan, but kept an eye on Jane as she leaned the bat against the chain link and hung the helmet on the peg next to the bat. "I'd love to help out." She smiled over at Ryan.
"Great…" Ryan said as she followed Maura into the batting cage.
With eyes seeking out the source of her discomfort, Jane stepped closer to Carly. She let out a sigh of relief when she couldn't find Paddy and she relaxed.
"Did I see who I thought I saw?" Carly leaned close to Jane so Ryan couldn't hear. Although Ryan was concentrating on what Maura was telling her, she had remarkably keen hearing.
"If you mean Paddy Doyle, then yeah…" Jane blew out a long breath. "He was watching us…kinda weird."
"Yeah…I noticed that too." Carly turned her attention back to Ryan and Maura.
As Carly and Ryan watched the action in the batting cage, they didn't hear as footsteps approached until it was too late.
"She's good…" A deep voice said from behind them.
Jane's blood froze for an instant as she turned around to come face to face with Paddy. He wasn't looking at Jane, but instead his eyes were focused over her shoulder on Maura. He had a proud, but hard expression on his face. He tilted his head towards Maura so Jane would understand who he was talking about.
"Um…yes she is." Jane nervously stammered. The hazel eyes that had been focused on Maura finally came to rest on Jane's and she couldn't push down the feeling of familiarity she saw in the flecks of green. The color may have been familiar, but there was a hardness there that had Jane shivering.
Paddy stood silent as he watched Maura hit one ball after another. He seemed unaware of both Carly and Jane watching him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. It wasn't until his eyes fell on Carly that he finally spoke again.
"You're Carlotta Rizzoli aren't you?" His intense gaze had her shifting nervously. He knew exactly who she was, but for some reason he didn't want Jane to know the depth of their relationship.
"Yes sir…" Carly tried smile. When their eyes met for a brief instant, an understanding passed between them unnoticed by Jane.
"You had quite a reputation when you were a kid…even thought you might have been an asset to our organization…" He said as he cleared his throat knowing full well that at one time he had more than hoped she would rise through the ranks with his helping hand. "But I'm glad to see you've moved away from that…looks like you've got a good thing going." He nodded towards Ryan. "I hear she's going to Harvard law school…"
It was the intense look of protection that had Paddy backing down from where his thoughts were taking him as a fire grew in the depths of light blue that stared at him. He had all but recruited Carly when she was a teenager, having her run errands here and there. It could have led to something bigger, but then she had disappeared for three years, only to return a much different person. Of course Paddy knew where she went, what she studied at school, and he even knew about her and Ryan. He always kept a close eye on those who had worked for him at one time or another. Carly was no different. The fierce protectiveness he saw in her eyes made him smile. Her loyalty is what had drawn him to her in the first place. Even now he knew that she had never told anyone how deep their relationship had gotten, but she was a good kid. He was happy to see that she had made a life for herself, away from the crime that had been her beginning. With a slight tip of his head, he conceded that she had won this round, but the look he gave her let her know that their business was not finished yet.
Carly knew exactly what Paddy had in mind when he mentioned Ryan. Having a top-notch lawyer on his payroll was always a benefit in the long run. Carly knew that with their shared history, it would not be above him to expect Ryan to be that lawyer. But Carly knew one thing that Paddy didn't and it was that Ryan would never go against the oath she made to herself to put people like Paddy behind bars. Ryan knew everything that had happened between Carly and Paddy when she was a kid, something that Paddy couldn't have come to expect. In fact, Carly was in awe every day that Ryan could still love her after finding out all the things she had done under Paddy's tutelage.
"I hear you're something of a baker…" Paddy ventured to change the subject.
Carly couldn't stop the blush that crept up her cheeks as she nervously ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it away from her face as she nodded. Her piercing blue eyes still held a hardness that she rarely showed, but as she looked at Paddy, she didn't want him to misunderstand.
"I had got into some trouble…there's no lie in that, but I learned my lesson, albeit the hard way…but still I learned." Her gaze was as intense as his as she studied him for his response. He gave her an understanding nod.
"How 'bout you…" He tilted his chin in Jane's direction. "I hear you some sorta star athlete…"
For some reason Jane sensed there was something more to the question than appeared on the surface. She looked over her shoulder at Maura who was still busy with Ryan.
"I play sports, yeah…"
"Going to college?" He inquired as his eyes fell on Maura again.
"I'd like to…" Jane stammered as she felt the weight of his questions.
Before Paddy could ask any more questions, a young boy of about seven ran up to him. "Hey Dad…she's really good…" The boy said as he stepped closer to the batting cage to watch Maura. "I don't think she's missed one yet."
Jane watched the boy as he watched Maura. He had light brown hair with copper highlights and even though his eyes were a different color from Paddy's, Jane couldn't miss the familiar glint of excitement that shone as he continued to watch Maura. It wasn't until Maura turned around that Jane noticed the same glint of excitement. Both Maura and the boy tilted their heads the same way to regard each other with smiles on their faces. Shaking her head as if it might clear up the quandary she was now facing, she sensed a foreboding that caused a feeling of dread to sink into the pit of her stomach. It wasn't until she turned back to see Paddy giving her a stern look that she took a step back away from him. It was as if he was reading her mind and the look on his face neither confirmed nor denied what she was thinking.
"Do you think she could show me how she does that dad?" The boy bounced eagerly from one foot to the other. His excitement was barely contained as his eyes went from Paddy to Jane and then to Maura expectantly.
"Not today Colin…maybe another time." Paddy said without taking his eyes from Jane's. There was a hardness there that caused Jane to realize just how ruthless this man could be.
"Aw…" The boy whined as he turned away from a confused, but smiling Maura.
Seeing the look of open innocence on Maura's face had Jane's insides clenching in anxiety. Her eyes trailed back and forth between Paddy and Maura as she tried to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. It wasn't until she felt Paddy's words against her ear that she realized he had leaned over to whisper to her.
"I know you're smart Rizzoli, but if you ever tell anyone what I think you suspect…" He pulled back to look at her to see if she understood what he was saying. When he got a nod of confirmation, he grabbed her by the shoulder and squeezed just a little tighter than necessary. "Take care of her. Don't let anything happen to her. And if you hurt her…so help me." He had a lethal glint in his now dark eyes as he searched Jane's for understanding. When he saw what he wanted, he turned to Carly and nodded at her. "Glad you got your act together kid…" He said as he pushed his son gently away from Jane and Carly who could only look on in shock, both for reasons unknown to the other.
The fact that all of the color had drained from Jane's face was the first thing that Maura noticed when Jane turned away from the strange man she had been talking to. He had looked familiar but Maura wasn't sure why.
"I think I'm gonna be sick…" Jane mumbled quietly so only Carly could hear. "I'm going to the bathroom to put some water on my face…um…tell Maura I'll be right back." Jane all but ran to towards the bathroom.
All Carly could do was nod as Jane sprinted away from her. She turned around to see both Maura and Ryan with strange expressions on their face. Maura looked confused and Ryan looked perplexed as they watched Jane's retreating back.
"Jane's just going to the bathroom, she'll be right back." Carly tried to smile even though she felt sick to her stomach as well. Standing next to a known mob boss who had probably killed more people than she cared to know was enough to set anyone on edge. Even though she tried to smile like nothing was wrong, she could see that Ryan wasn't buying it. With a mixture of relief and trepidation she watched as Ryan exited the batting cage. Slipping her arms around the one person who could make her feel safe, she buried her face in the familiar short blonde locks that reminded her of spring letting out shaky breath.
"Is that who I think it was?" Ryan whispered into Carly's ear as she held the trembling figure closer to her. When she felt Carly nod against her neck, she pulled back to look Carly in the eyes. Pushing away a stray tendril of dark hair to tuck it behind Carly's ear, she lifted up onto her toes and placed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "What did he want?"
"It wasn't about me…" Carly looked down at Ryan's concerned eyes. "He seemed very interested in Maura for some reason…then he said something to Jane…something that scared her I think."
Ryan studied Carly's light blue eyes for any sign of dishonesty, but all she saw was the truth. Carly had been candid with Ryan from day one about her past and Paddy Doyle was a part of that past. It had been no secret that he had heavily recruited Carly when she was a teenager and she had been a hair's breath away from joining his organization. The fear that he would try again was something that they were both afraid of. Although Carly had moved on with her life, cleaning up her act so to speak, she never forgot how close she had come to another life.
"What would he want with Jane or Maura for that matter?" Ryan questioned.
"I don't know…but there was just something…I can't explain it. One minute he had this almost soft, proud look in his eyes, but then he turned hard…almost angry…cold…" Carly rambled.
"He's gone now." Ryan tried to reassure.
"Where's Maura?" Carly sighed as she looked over Ryan's shoulder to see that the batting cage was now empty.
"She probably went after Jane." Ryan turned her attention to the empty cage.
"Shit…Jane asked me to keep an eye on her…she needed a minute." Carly let out a huff.
"It'll be okay…Maura has a way of calming Jane." Ryan said matter-o-fact. "Let's just wait for them, and then we can go get some ice cream."
"'Kay…" Carly let Ryan lead her towards some picnic benches so they could wait.
Maura watched Carly and Ryan with a curious eye. Carly seemed visibly shaken by whatever conversation had taken place between her and Jane and the strange man. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen him before and as she searched her memory it finally came to her. It was Paddy Doyle, the man from the pub Jane had taken her to when they had played pool. A shiver ran through her body as she remembered the way he had looked at her. Although it hadn't been menacing, there had been a familiarity in the way he regarded her that made her feel uneasy. The young boy that had been with him also reminded her of someone she had seen before, but that memory sat just beyond her reach. He had a nice smile, especially when he looked at her. He had been full of excitement of an innocent child as he watched her hit ball after ball, a look of awe on his face. When she had turned to see him watching her and their eyes met, she had felt some sort of connection to him in a strange way. It had been unlike any other feeling she had ever had before so she had no reference for it. Doing her best to shake off the uncomfortable feeling, she decided she needed to find Jane so she slipped from the batting cage heading in the direction she had seen Jane go.
Jane stood at the sink, hands on either side as she leaned heavily against the counter. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she shook her head at the person staring back at her. Her normal complexion had been replaced by a pallid tint that made her look like she had seen a ghost. But what she had seen was far worse in her mind. Paddy Doyle did not make idle threats and the more she thought about it, she came to realize that is exactly what he had done. The threat was laced throughout the statements he had made to her. An image of hazel-green eyes came to her mind, but instead of the soft, gentle, caring sparkle she had come to love and know so well, she had seen nothing but cold, hard resolve.
Another wave of nausea washed over her as she tried to work through her thoughts and the implications if they were true. If her suspicions were correct, she would never tell a living soul, especially Maura.
Closing her eyes, she cupped her hands to collect some cold water to splash on her face. She did not see or hear Maura as she quietly slipped into the bathroom behind her. It wasn't until she felt the warmth of Maura's embrace as strong arms wrapped around her from behind that she allowed herself to fall.
Maura could feel the shuttering intake of breath Jane had taken, but she mistook it for Jane's trepidation at having lost their bet. "You know…" She whispered into Jane's dark hair. "Just because I won doesn't mean you lost."
Placing her hands on Maura's which were now resting on her stomach; Jane tried to smile at the reflection of Maura in the mirror. "Anytime I spend with you makes me a winner." Jane winked at the image of worried eyes looking over her shoulder. She turned around to face Maura, a crooked grin on her face. As she looked into Maura's hazel-green eyes, she realized that even though they were the same color as Paddy's, that was the only similarity. Jane made a silent vow to herself that Paddy Doyle was and would always be a perfect stranger to Maura.